Punch



July 13, 1948. J, F, MURIsHY 4 2,444,946

PUNCH Filed Dec. 14. 1945 INVEN TOR.

19/7765 Murphy ATTORNEY Patented July 13, 1948 2,444,946 PUNCH James F.Murphy, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application December 14, 1945, Serial No. 635,134

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April so, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 15 Claims.

The presentinvention concerns a punchfor *forming holes in sheetmaterial, and particularly concerns an attachment for the punch adaptedto manipulate a piece of work with respect to the punch.

In forming holes in sheet material such as metal plates, it isconventional to employ a punch that includes a jig for supporting thepiece of Work, a die having a central opening disposed beneath the workand a punchin tool disposed above the'work and adapted for downwardmovement to punch out a piece from the sheet material where it isdesired to form the hole. It is conventional in punches of this kind forthe operator to manipulate the piece of Work relative to the supportingjig with his fingers. Thus, the piece of work is inserted into the jigand is positioned therein relative to the die and punch tool by the ingthe punching operation and is later ejected from the jig subsequent tothe punching operation by the operator with the use of his fingers.

Such manipulation of the workpiece involving the use of the operatorsfingers within the jig 1 and in the area of the die and punch tool isdangerous, since the operators fingers may he caught inadvertently andinjured during the operation.

This is especially true when the operator manipulates small pieces ofwork, which necessitates the presence of his fingers in close proximityto the die and punching tool.

A further objection to manual manipulation of the workpiece arises fromthe fact that precision is not achieved in the punching operationbecause correct positioning of the workpiece and rigid clamping thereofduring the punching operation depend upon the dexterity of the operator.Human error, variations in dexterity between diiTerent operators, andvariations in manipulation of difierent workpieces by the same operator,cause erratic results.

Many defective pieces are thus produced in which the hole that has beenpunched is located incorrectly upon the piece of work, and, even amongthe pieces of work that are acceptable,

many are inferior in quality because of a lack of precision. Productionof defective pieces of work results in loss of material, since thedefiective pieces must be discarded. Furthermore; the erratic resultsthat are produced require an inordinate amount of time and labor to beconsumed by inspectors in order that defective pieces can be detected"and rejected. An additional loss of time and labor is generatedby theerratic resuits since it is necessary to punch additional workpieces toreplace the defective ones that are discarded.

An object of this invention is to provide a mechanical attachment for apunching machine adapted to manipulate a workpiece within the machineand eliminate the need for using an operators fingers for such purpose.

4 Another object is to provide a mechanical attachment for a punchingmachine adapted to position work within the machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanical attachmentfor a punching machine adapted to clamp a piece of work in positionrigidly during the punching operation.

Another object is to provide a mechanical attachment for a punchingmachine adapted to eject a piece of work from the machine after thepunching operation. a

Another object is to provide a mechanical attachment for a punchingmachine comprising a clamp mechanism and ejector mechanism formanipulatin the piece of work so that during the operation of eithermechanism the other mechanism is automatically inoperative.

Another object is to provide a safety device for a punch machine wherebythe manipulationof the workpiece in the machine is performedmechanically by an attachment on the machine. thus eliminating the needfor the operator to use his fingers in the dangerous area in themachine. Another object is to provide a mechanical attachment for apunching machine comprising a combined manipulator clamp and ejectormechaaccompanying drawing, in which,

a Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partly in section, ofa preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan vew of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1with the cover plate removed, showing the manipulator attachment inposition to clamp a piece of work during the punching operation;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig.2 but with the manipulator attachment inposition to eject a piece of work.

Punch H comprises a jig l2 havingabase l3 workpiece 2 I.

'stop: 32.

and a U-shaped work support M provided with upstanding parallel legs I5and it. The opposed faces of legs l5 and it are provided with notches lland I8 forming guide tracks l9 and 20 for supporting a workpiece 2i andfor guiding said workpiece into and out of support I l.

The topsof legs id-and it are provided with threaded holes 22 and 23accommodating screws 24 and 25 for holding in place a cover plate 26having a central opening 2'l'. (Cover plate'ZG has been shown as removedin Figs. 2 and 3 for clarity of illustration.) Work support I2 isprovided with a rear wall 28 extending between-legs l5 and It andprovided with an opening 29 there in for a purpose hereinafterdescribed.

Mounted on rear wall 28 with its center line in the plane includingworkpiece 2! is a lug 29, which is threaded internally to accommodateapositioning screw 38 having a head 3! for manual adjustment thereof,and at its opposite extremity "formed-'into a "stop 32 for positioningworkpiece '2l' and limiting reciprocation thereof along guide tracks 19and 28 toward wall 28.

Mounted centrally within worksupport M be *tween' legs l5and Hi is-afemale die 33 having a central cylindrical openin 34, the center line ofwhich defines the line of punch. Die 33 can be secured rigidly in placeas, for example, by welding or the like. The topsurface ofdie 33 isfiush with the surface of guide'tracks l9 and 20 so that workpiece 2 I,when in position for punching, will have its bottom surface flush withthe top sur- "face' of die 33.

26 to punch workpiece 2i and slide into opening 34 of die33.

Mounted on jig base 13 to one side of work support I4 is a verticalshaft 35 that is secured to base =l3 in any suitable manner. Mounted forrotation uponthe upper end of shaft 36 is a manipulator arm 31thatrotates in the plane of One extremity'cf manipulator arm 31 isformed into an ejector finger 38 having a contact surface 39. As seen inFig. 3, when manipulator arm 37 is rotated in a clockwise direction,contact surface 39 of ejector finger 33 swings through a suitableopening in wall 28 and reciprocates workpiece 2| along guide tracks l9and'w, and as manipulator arm 37 is moved to itsextremeposition-workpiece 2! is ejected.

vFormedon manipulator arm 31 in spaced relation to ejector finger 38 isa clamp finger 4i! having a contact'surfacedi that is disposed inopposed relation to'contact surface 39. As seen in .Fig. 2, whenmanipulator arm 31 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, contactface '4! of clamp finger-4c abutsworkpiece 2i and causesreciprocationthereof along guide tracks l9 and 2!] toward stop 32 ofpositioning screw 30. As

manipulator arm -31 reaches its extreme position,

clamp finger 4'0 rigidly holds workpiece 2| against A handle 42 isprovided on manipulator arm 31.

Operation of the punch machine-is as follows:

'Whcn'it is desired to perform a punch operation,

manipulator arm 3'! is first adjusted into the position indicated inFig. 3. Positioning'screw 39 is then regulated untilstop 32 thereof isproperly disposed so that when a workpiece is subsequently insertedintothe machine, stop 32 will :position the workpiece correctly.relative to die 33 and punch tool 35. A workpieces 2| is then insertedpartially into support 14 upon guide ger 4E.

downwardly through workpiece 2|,

position for workpiece 2i.

wise rotation of manipulator *arm 3l causes the workpiece to bebroughtinto contact with stop 32, and the operator by exerting pressureupon handle 42 of manipulator arm 3'! clamps workpiece M in placerigidly between stop 32 and clamp fin- The punching operation is thenperformed by causing punching tool 35 to move and the punching operationis completed by withdrawing vpunch tool 35 from workpiece 2|.

After the punching operation is completed, manipulator-arm 37 is rotatedin a clockwise direction to withdraw clamping finger 40 from workpiece2i and cause ejector finger 38 to move through the opening in wall 28until contact'surface 39 abuts workpiece 21. Further rotation ofmanipulator arm 3'! into its extreme position as seen in Fig. 3 causesreciprocation of workpiece 25 along guide tracks l9 and 22 untilworkpiece fl is ejected from the machine.

As described above, clamping finger 40 is designed to clamp workpiece 21in place rigidly during the punching operation and ejector finger 38 isdesigned to eject workpiece 2! from the machine. However, clampingfinger 4i! and ejector finger 33 can by proper rotation of manipulatorarm 3'! be used to manipulate workpiece 2! into any desired positionwithin work support M relative to die 33 and punching tool 35. Forexample, in setting up a job where numerous-pieces of work of the samesize are to be punched in the same manner, the pilot work- .piece can beinserted manually partway into work support 14 upon guide tracks [9 and20, and proper operation of manipulator arm 31 can then be effected tocause clamp 40 to move the pilot workpiece toward wall 2801" to causeejector finger 38 to reciprocate the pilot workpiece away from wall 28until the workpiece is brought into the desired position. Position screw30 is then adjusted until stop 32 thereof is in contact with the pilotworkpiece so that subsequent work- "pieces can be brought into thedesired position by being reciprocated into contact with stop 32.

For special punch jobs, a workpiece 21 can be inserted manually by theoperator into work support l l, and manipulator arm 31 then rotated sothat clamp-finger 40 reciprocates workpiece 2| into a predeterminedposition not in contact with stop 32.

Clamping finger 40 can thus beused rather than stop 32 for determiningthe-correct The operator then holds manipulator arm 31 stationary whilepositioning screw '30 is tightened into contact'with workpiece 2|to-lock workpiece 2l'in position for punching.

Various modifications and changes can be made in the subject devicewithout departing from the scope of the invention.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and-used by orfor'the Government of the United States of America for governmentalpurposes without the payment of anyroyalties thereon or therefor.

-I claim:

1. A punch for forming a hole-in a workpiece comprising a die having acentral opening defining the line of punch, a jig for supporting-theworkpiece in the line of punch and relative to said die, a pair ofopposed notches in said jig serving to support the workpiece forreciprocation relative to said jig and said die, an adjustable screw insaid jig having an extremit designed to serve as a stop for limitingreciprocation of the workpiece in one direction, and an arm mounted onsaid jig for rotation in a plane transverse to said line of punch andincluding the workpiece, a finger on said arm adapted upon rotation ofsaid arm in one direction to cause reciprocation of the workpiece towardsaid sto and adapted upon rotation of said arm to its extreme positionto clamp the work piece against said stop to prevent movement thereof insaid jig, a second finger on said arm spaced from said first finger andin opposed relation thereto adapted upon rotation of said arm in theother direction to cause reciprocationof the workpiece away from saidstop and to eject the workpiece from said jig.

2. A punch comprising means to support a workpiece, a female die mountedin said means, a male die in reciprocal relation to said female die, andan arm mounted on said means, said arm including means to position saidworkpiece be tween said female di and said male die, and means to ejectsaid workpiece from said position.

3. A punch comprising a jig adapted to support a workpiece, a female diemounted in said jig, a male die in reciprocal relation to said femaledie, and an arm mounted on said jig, said arm including means toposition said workpiece between said female die and said male die, andmeans to eject said workpiece from said position.

4. A punch comprising a jig adapted to sup- .port a workpiece,associated male and female dies mounted in said jig in reciprocalrelation, and an arm mounted on said jig, said arm including means toposition said workpiece between said male die and said female die, andmeans to eject said workpiece from said position.

5. A punch comprising a jig adapted to support a workpiece, associatedmale and female dies mounted in said jig in reciprocal relation, and anarm mounted on said jig, said arm including means to secure saidworkpiece between said male die and said female die, and means to ejectsaid workpiece from said secured position.

6. A punch comprising a jig adapted to support a workpiece, associatedmale and female dies mounted in said jig in reciprocal relation, and anarm mounted on said jig, said arm including a plurality of fingers, aselected finger being adapted to secure said workpiece between said maledie and said female die and another selected finger being adapted toeject said workpiece from said secured position.

'7. A punch comprising a jig adapted to support a workpiece, associatedmale and female dies mounted in said jig in reciprocal relation, and anarm mounted on said jig, said arm including a plurality of fingers, aselected finger being adapted to position said workpiece between saidmale die and said female die and to secure said workpiece therebetweenand another selected finger being adapted to eject said workpiece fromsaid secured position.

8. A punch comprising a jig adapted to guide a workpiece into operativeposition and support said workpiece in that position, associated maleand female dies mounted in said-jig in reciprocal relation, and an armmounted rotatably on said jig, said arm including a plurality ofintegral fingers, a selected finger being adapted upon rotation of saidarm in one direction to position said workpiece in said operativeposition and to secure said workpiece thereat, and another selectedfinger being adapted upon rotation of said arm in the opposite directionto eject said workpiece from said jig.

9. A punch comprising a jig adapted to guide a workpiece into operativeposition against an adjustable screw mounted on a wall of said jig, saidscrew being adapted to proscribe the length of travel of said workpiecerelative said jig, associated male and femal dies mounted in said jig inreciprocal relation, and an arm mounted rotatably on said jig, said armincluding a plurality of integral fingers, a selected finger beingadapted upon rotation of said arm in one direction to position saidworkpiece in said operative position and to secure said workpiecethereat, and another selected finger being adapted upon rotation of saidarm in the opposite direction to eject said workpiece from said jig.

10. In a, workpiece jig, an arm secured rotatably to said jig, said armincluding means to position a workpiece upon said jig and means to ejectsaid workpiece from said position.

11. In a workpiece jig, an arm secured rotatably to Said jig, said armincluding means to secure a workpiece upon said jig and means to ejectsaid workpiece from said secured position.

12. In a workpiece jig, an arm secured rotatably to said jig, said armincluding means to position and secure a workpiece upon said jig andmeans to eject said workpiece from said secured position.

13. In a workpiece jig, an arm secured rotatably to said jig, said armincluding a pluraliti of fingers, a selected finger being adapted tosecure a workpiece upon said jig and another selected finger beingadapted to eject said workpiece from said secured position.

14. In a workpiece jig, an arm secured rotatably to said jig, sai-d armincluding a plurality of fingers, a selected finger being adapted toposition and to secure a workpiece upon said jig and another selectedfinger being adapted to eject said workpiece from said secured position.

15. In a workpiece jig, an arm secured rotatably to said jig, said armincluding a plurality of fingers, a selected finger being adapted toposition a workpiece against an adjustable screw mounted on a wall ofsaid jig, said screw being adapted to proscribe the length of travel ofsaid workpiec relative said jig, and another selected finger beingadapted to eject said workpiece from said secured position.

JAMES F. MURPHY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 369,970 Stiles Sept. 13, 18872,229,393 Steffen Jan. 21, 1941

